Note: While this last piece is old news to some of you, it’s new news to those who read this blog but don’t keep up with All Things Hobbity. And it’s got a lot of words. You’ve been warned. No spoilers reside here either.

Quick review…

I plan a trip to visit a friend in upper New York.

Two hours after plans are finalized, I get wind of a contest on Twitter sponsored by Warner Brothers and eventually win two tickets to the Hobbit Movie Event in Manhattan. Thank you Warner Brothers!

I notify friend and we decide to try and go.

We hit the computer to make hotel reservations, get info from Warner Brothers lady and print off Front of the Line Passes…also our driving directions. Thus, we drive straight to the hotel. Then head for the AMC Loews IMAX Theater at Lincoln Square.

Photo courtesy of AMC Loews Lincoln Square.

Well that was kinda boring huh? But since it’s been a couple of days since last we spoke so I thought I’d rehash the old stuff. The reason for the lapse in our communications has been varied…guests from Texas, sick DiL, grands to tend to, college football games to take grands to, famous authors to meet, famous choirs to be heard…but more about those things later. Gotta tidy up neglected posts that have been procrastinated.

So without further adieu or ado…grab some coffee and settle in. Sorry I’m so windy but MANY of you have been waiting for this last report. OK maybe 5 of you…

When last we spoke/I typed, we were being ushered to our line, where we promptly landed at THE END of the line. But that was the front of the line LINE. Okey dokey.

So…we wait in line and get to know our neighbors. Which is one of the best things about lines. 🙂

not Carol and Cheryl!!! Two grannies instead…

Now what I’m about to say is truly what events like this are all about. In front of us are two very youngish gals…Carol and Cheryl. Longtime best friends who are all of “26”! Both are working girls and took off from work to attend THE EVENT.

I asked Carol if she was a Hobbit geek or a Tolkien freak. She smiled sweetly and told us that she was a lifelong Tolkien addict. She had spent much of her childhood sitting at her father’s knee while he read Tolkien to her. Carol reached a point where she could (and still can) recite many of the poems throughout his books. For her, this whole “Hobbit” thing was pure sentiment, peppered with a love of “everything Tolkien”. Don’t you just love that?!

I’m guessing half of those who were in “front of the line” line, were Armitage fans with other half being perhaps Bloom fans, Hobbit movie fans and Tolkin fans. Not that you couldn’t be a member of one or more groups of fans…

We had “cheerleaders” walking the lines giving us instructions and trying to “jack up the enthusiasm”. Pat and I were excited to be there but loved seeing the sights…

A Gandalf wannabee trotted past us. He was either “special”…or not going in. No idea which.

Note: All following photos were taken by me and aren’t much different from the kazillion that have already been posted on this subject.

There goes Gandalf!

Several line mates were dressed up as hobbits, dwarves and other characters that may or may not have been Hobbit-related.

We visited with several New Yorkers who walked past us and stopped to chat. I’m sure they walked away shaking their heads while questioning our sanity I’m pretty sure. We did the same when we saw their pink hair, weird clothes (IMHO) and saw they had absolutely NO interest in The Hobbit. Others sighed dismay as they discovered what we were waiting for and wished they had known about the event. Thank you internet…

There was a whole crew of techie guys frantically hooking up cables and wires to satellite dishes and who knows what underneath semi trucks. They chatted with us briefly before escaping finishing their work.

Hobbity tee shirts were handed out to us front rowers along with special ID bracelets that conveyed our specialness as “front of the line” liners!! We. Were. Special.

And finally the wait was over, as the cheerleaders herded us through the front doors followed by security gates. I was prepared to show photo ID and have my bag searched. The little guy just waved us through. Not that we were special…I don’t think. I’m not sure anyone actually got checked out. Or maybe I just looked like a granny who wouldn’t hurt a flea???

Then before us was that nightmare of an escalator. Again. I grabbed that handrail like my life depended on it and it pretty much did.

That’s when the stampede began. For seats. I looked at Pat and thought, “you’re on your own kid!” but we managed to land in our respective seats with a thump…well, I thumped anyways…while catching our breath and thinking out loud, “WE MADE IT!”

Not exactly what envisioned. I was expecting a bodyguard to usher us in to the front row (those were quickly snatched as whole blocks were being saved at once…that’s another story) 🙂 And then seat us squarely in the middle, hand us popcorn and Diet Coke and a program.

But alas, we were NOT that special. 😉

The audience was all a flutter as anticipation grew and grew. What for, we had no clue. (I did not intend that to rhyme but I am NOT changing it.) We were just “anticipating”. There was lots of nervous chatter, repositioning, cameras checked and rechecked…I myself had 3 cameras at the ready…my phone camera, my iPad camera and my real camera. I was ready for A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G!!

So the lights dimmed and there we sat. Waiting. Ummm. Waiting. We could see 3 chairs. That made sense. Cooper, Armitage and Bloom. But that was it.

Finally Cooper was announced and down he came to the stage. Lots of whooping and hollering. I observed quietly as did Miss Pat.

Anderson Cooper trying to see if Orlando Bloom is entering??!

Out of habit, I checked out to see where the exits were while Cooper rambled. I know, I’m paranoid, but I like to know how to escape if needed. I looked back and there stood the two actors, leaning up against the entrance wall at the back with their hands in their pockets. I poked Miss Pat in the side and said, “Look back.” *snort* Get it? I do crack myself up sometimes. (Inside joke for fans of North and South.) They were having a blast back there and people were just passing them like they weren’t even there. I found that hilarious.

Cooper joked around for about 1 minute then introduced the two actors. Bloom bounded down the aisle with Armitage hot on his trail. Mics flew, actors were seated and the cameras were flashing like diamonds in a Jarrett’s store. Actually, there were no flashes technically. I could imagine them though!!!

Bloom and Armitage getting the mics on.

Everyone on stage seemed a bit unsure of what to do next but seemed ok with that. After all, they contracts must surely demand their appearances at these sort of things?

Bloom reminded me of my 10 year old grandsons. Cute and a little cocky.

Orlando Bloom aka Legolas. Taken with my real camera.

Armitage reminded me of my oldest son, who is close to the same age….sort of wondering what the heck he was doing there but cracking jokes with his acting buddy.

Richard Armitage watching the monitor while New Zealand cues in. Real camera did the best job!?

Cooper had perhaps not done all of his homework as he seemed confused about a couple of facts but maintained his suave, debonair air that got him where is today.

Pat and I were clicking a few pics and cracking wise-cracks. I was still observing. I came to a conclusion that night…some folks would run over their grandma for a chance to sit up close and personal to celebrities. I found that entertaining. The audience ooos and ahhhs were noticeable when either actor spoke, moved, reacted, shifted their legs, laughed…well, you get the idea.

Once the film clips started, the actors and Cooper left hurriedly. They had been on stage for what maybe 15 minutes.

I really loved the clips from the The Desolation of Smaug! They whetted my appetite for December as I’m sure the same reaction rippled through the audience. It’s going to be a fun flick, dragon included.

The clips ended, the lights came on and…nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

No goodbyes. No “You are now dismissed.” No nothing.

We sat. We waited. For what we weren’t sure but most of the audience expected the 3 celebs to come back on stage.

Nope. Didn’t happen. And we just sat there. Heck it was 6:30 and this was OVER?! Seriously? Yep. Adios.

And we left the theater.

WAIT!!! I almost forgot what some might consider THE BEST part of this whole event…the music, people. The music. We were treated to one new song from Ed Sheeran, I See Fire, lamenting the future of the Sons of Durin. This song ROCKS!!

Ahhh. AND.. I won something else. See? I am special!!! I won a movie guide book from the first Hobbit movie. And we all got posters that are really are cool although I’m not sure where I’ll put it for fear of my family really and finally committing me to an institution.

Hobbit stash.

Update: I just got a news flash via email from The Hobbit Movie. Pack your bags Miss Pat. They’re having a contest for a New Zealand trip. Woo Hoo!

BTW, Miss Pat looked at me after our little hotel room got upgraded to a suite and said, “We’re in the wrong city. With your luck, we should’ve gone to Vegas!”

THE END *whew*

Thus, the Queen is now back to regular life. And catching up on housework, unpacking and taking care of Big Boss and his crummy cold. So much for Your Highness…

9 Responses to A Day in the Life of an Almost Queen

I could have wished they were a bit more organized–I really could have wished we would have been treated to more of Richard speaking. Having those amazing actors at all the sites and allowing them to answer only one question each (except for Evangeline Lilly, who got two)? I wouldn’t have blamed them if they were all wondering what they were doing there!

Must say, the logic behind that escaped me–especially since they spent HOURS walking up and down the lines asking for questions for Richard and Orlando. Also–I will never look at Anderson Cooper in the same way again. Someone like Stephen Colbert (a total Hobbit freak) would have been a much better choice.

We have NO idea why they upgraded us. (We did ask for our rooms to be ready a bit early and they weren’t. Would that justify upgrade?) They just did. The Wellington was great…bellhop took us and our luggage up, unlocked the door, turned on lights, explained the WIFI, TV and heating system, chatted a bit and left. Doormen were johnny on the spot, as were the valets. The rooms were extremely nice and clean. The only complaint was pipes banged and whistled all night. No idea what was going on there. I just plugged in my ear plugs and passed out. I’m not sure I have ever been so tired!

Great reporting, Queenie! I can say ‘ditto’ to everything! It was a time I will treasure forever. I still have to remind myself that we were actually there! Last December, my sister and I, without proper ‘tickets’ or ‘passes’, were mysteriously allowed to enter the set of the Anderson Cooper Show and join the audience as Hobbit cast members (Armitage, McKellen, Freeman and Serkis) were being interviewed before the premier of AUJ in NYC. It seemed like a miracle then! But this amazingly serendipitous time with Queenie in NYC last week, our suddenly acquiring tickets at the exact time of her visit for another Hobbit event, was just too much!

I fear that I am spoiled now and fully expect to be at the next event in Wellington. And why not? I hang with the Queen. She’ll get me in! LOL!